My Therapist Is Out!

Ep 23 Ambiguous Grief, Growth, & Queer Community w/ Bryan Kosarek (he/him)

 

Building a community and chosen family who gets you is one of the most important endeavors of our lifetime. Join us this week as we talk with @Bryan Kosarek, founder of the Unite App. Together we explore:

 

🧜🏾‍♂️ Queerness

🐟 Ambiguous Grief

☃️ Growth Past Family Dynamic Patterns

🍇 Effect of Building Queer Community

 

We all need each other to be our best selves. 

 

Find new ways to build community with @Unitē 

 

Start Therapy to grow into your authentic self

🧜🏾‍♂️  Link in Bio

 

#mentalhealthpodcast #lgbtqcommunity #queertiktok #isolation #gaypride #mentalhealthmatters #wellnesstips #chosenfamily #authenticlife

Guest Bio: Bryan Kosarek ditched his real estate career in New York City in pursuit of building a platform to make mental health support more social and accessible for marginalized communities. 

 

The founder of the new platform and social community, Unite, Bryan is looking to change the way the queer people find support in life when our happiness, well-being and mental health are being challenged. 

 

His community of friends and group therapy have always been a form of inspiration and self-care for Bryan when life became challenging. So now he’s turning what helped him into an app and is working to build a platform that grows with Unite users as they grow.

 

Links & Resources from this episode

https://theuniteapp.com/

 

Instagram & Tiktok 

@theuniteapp

@bryankosarek

We’re switching things up this week! Listen along to Licensed Clinical Counselor, Art Therapist and founder of Open Space Therapy Collective, Renae Johnson, as they interview with a local university looking to use creativity and art practices in their classrooms to enrich the teaching experience. Please enjoy and let us know what you think! 

 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out

If you were lazy you would be having more fun! Being unmotivated sucks, no ifs, ands, or buts. Being unmotivated can feel like:   

 

😰 Worthless

🔥Depressed 

😬 Angry

 

But unmotivated isn’t “just being lazy”. There are a million reasons we feel unmotivated.

 

👐🏾 Too much change happening at once

☄️ No time to focus on what fills your cup

⚕ Symptoms from mental or physical illnesses

👯‍♂️ Your body is forcing you to take a break

 

All of these things and so much more can leave us feeling unmotivated and trigger our inner critic to run havoc on our self-esteem. Join Open Space Therapy Collective Founder Renae Johnson LPCC, ATR-BC, CCTP and Clinical Supervisor Kristen Crowe LPCC, BC-DMT as they dive into what is hiding behind your lack of motivation.

 

Therapist Bio: Kristen Crowe (she/they) is Licensed Therapist, Dance Therapist, and Clinical Supervisor with Open Space Therapy Collective. Kristen specializes in working somatically with adults and partners to help heal the mind-body connection so you can feel more grounded and vibrant every day.

 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out

 

To find more from Kristen visit:

https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com/meet-kristen

Content warning: general mental health symptoms

We hear medication terms and names thrown around all of the time. By our friends, social media, even doctors will just suggest something but won’t really take the time to explain. My Therapist is Out and Mikey Whited, Pscyh NP (he/they) are here to help make all that medical jargon really clear for you as we dive into SSRI medication today.

SSRIs have been around for a long-time and are typically used to help reduce depression symptoms. However these Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are so much more! Join us as we talk about how they work (and don’t), how you’re brain and gut are utilized while taking SSRIs and all the details in between.

Please Subscribe and Follow for more authentic Queer and Trans mental health content!

Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

Guest Bio: Mikey Whited, RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC (he/they) is a psychiatric nurse practitioner working in Los Angeles, California. Mikey specializes in queer and trans psychiatric medication and mental health care for adults and older teens. Mikey is passionate about changing the psychiatry paradigm and providing quality medication education and care for clients in a way that will ACTUALLY work to help clients achieve their lifestyle goals.

Questions for Mikey? Send us an email at [email protected]

Content warning: medical neglect, suicide

To start your therapy journey and connect with your LGBTIA2S+ community find us at:

https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

Even if you’re just getting clues that you may have a stalker, things can escalate and get very scary. Unwanted phone calls or hang-ups, surprise run-ins, or lots of texts and DMs, and it can quickly turn threatening. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, pay attention! Feelings like:   

    😰 Hopeless

    🔥Irritated or 

    😬 On edge

Can be signs that something is wrong, so take these feelings seriously. Share with your friends and family about what is going on. Make sure you document every time the person contacts you. Reach out to the resources below for actionable legal help and safety support.

 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-7233

https://cityattorney.lacity.gov/domestic-violence

https://www.counselforjustice.org/domestic-violence

https://www.lacourt.org/division/familylaw/FL0035.aspx

 

Therapist Bio: Debbie Whyte APCC, ATR is an art therapist with Open Space Therapy Collective. Debbie specializes in working with teens and young adults who are seeking to find their voice.

 

To find more from Debbie visit:

https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com/meet-debbie

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Content warning: stalking, domestic violence, police interaction

Are all the doctor’s telling you that the labs don’t show anything so the pain is in your head? Guest and Head Witch of Crystal Case Apothecary, Lynsi Stevens (she/her) joins Renae to discuss Lynsi’s five year journey of decolonizing her health, chronic health stigmas, and her drive to help others balance their medical needs with their spiritual and creative life. 

 

Guest Bio: Lynsi Stevens is the Head Witch of Crystal Case Apothecary, a wellness company that promotes a culture of magic, acceptance, and inclusivity for medication takers. I’m dedicated to advocating for those struggling with chronic, mental, and invisible illnesses, and expanding the lens of wellness to incorporate spirituality. As a survivor of racism-based trauma, I understand the importance of creating safe spaces for marginalized individuals to explore their interests and discover spiritual wellbeing. Through my work at Crystal Case Apothecary, I’m committed to providing creatives with the tools they need to seamlessly integrate their prescription into their daily lives, and advocate for themselves in the medical system, while also infusing joy and gentle guidance into the process.

 

To find more from Lynsi and Crystal Case Apothecary you can find her online at

 

https://mycrystalcase.com/

 

https://www.instagram.com/crystalcaseapothecary/?hl=en

 

Content warning: discussion of police violence, physical pain, and medical neglect

 

Book recommendations for this episode:

For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonization Handbook (School of American Research Native America) by Michael Yellow Bird and Waziyatawin Angela Wilson

 

Grieving While Black: An Antiracist Take on Oppression and Sorrow by Breeshia Wade

 

Decolonizing Trauma Work: Indigenous Stories and Strategies by Renee Linklater

On this episode of My Therapist Is Out! we welcome our newest therapist to the podcast, Jenny Nigro! Jenny and Renae dive into asexuality, what it is, the stigmas around it, and more. You won't want to miss this one!

 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out

On this episode of My Therapist Is Out! Renae Johnson and Kristen Crowe hop on a call to discuss neurodivergence. As two neurodivergent people themselves, they cover a variety of topics ranging from cues that there’s some neurodivergence happening within you to the many different ways neurodiversity shows up in people. Have questions about this topic? Send us a message!

 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out

 

To find more from Kristen visit:

https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com/meet-kristen

If you’re a Millennial or Gen Z you might be asking yourself, “what the hell does it mean to not have the spoons to show up??” 🥄 🥄🥄 Welllll, this episode we’re diving into the “spoon theory” with therapists Kristen Crowe and Renae Johnson. What takes up our spoons mentally, emotionally and physically? Listen along and find out. (P.S. Listening to this episode requires no spoons at all) 😉 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out

 

To find more from Kristen visit:

https://www.openspacetherapycollective.com/meet-kristen

This week we sat down with therapists Renae Johnson and Debbie Whyte to discuss what it's like when your identity is deemed unprofessional in your workplace. In today's conditioned society, something as simple as someone's natural hair style could be deemed unprofessional. This is definitely a sensitive topic with a lot to cover! Follow along as Debbie gives advice for what to do if you are in this situation. 

 

Follow us on Social Media at: 

https://www.instagram.com/mytherapistisout/

https://www.instagram.com/openspacetherapycollective/

https://www.tiktok.com/@openspacetherapy

 

Listen and Subscribe to audio at:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0x3fg3TJ5t9q9Pza0CRtYO?si=2d8b625115ec4e4e

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-therapist-is-out